Clothes-line.



PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

s. A. OWENS.

CLOTHES LINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Q vi/Mpaooao UNITED STATES iPat'ented May 10, 1904. V

PATENT OFFICE.

CLOTHES-LIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.'759,394, dated May 10, 1904. Application filed December 8, 1905. Serial No. 184,338. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, SoLoN ARTHER OWENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Young, in the county of Freestone and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Line, of which the following is a speciiication.

The invention relates to improvements in clothes-lines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of clothes-lines and provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one of great Strength and durability ad apted to dispense with the use of clothes-pins and capable of enabling clothes and other fabrics to be securely clamped to it and readily removed from it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metallic clothes-line composed of a series of links and to enable the means for connecting the links to operate as clamps for holding the clothes or other fabrics on the line.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Y

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a clothes-line constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a plan View showing two links slightly separated to form a clothes-receiving opening. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the hinge-joint.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all figures of the drawings.

1 1 designate a plurality of links forming the clothes-line and constructed of a galvanized wire or other suitable material and having overlapped ends which are slidably connected and which, as hereinafter described, are adapted to form clamps for holding the jacent links, separate such body portions from each other to provide clothes-receiving spaces when the ends of the links are slightly separated by sliding the links inward on each other.

The links in practice are designed to be about one foot in length; but they may be of any desired length, aswill be readily understood. The clothes or other fabrics are adapted to be applied to the line, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and a portion of the fabric is introduced into the space between the adjacent ends of a pair of links, and as soon as the links are released they will automatically clamp the fabric and securely hold the same on the line. The fabric is adapted to be readily released by moving or sliding the links inward on each other to separate the angularly-disposed clamping-eyes 3.

The line may be permanently attached, and as it is constructed of galvanized metal it will not rust. It may, however, be removed, and the line may be provided at intervals with ordinary eyes 4 to form hinge-joints to permit the hinged sections to fold, and the said sections may be contracted by sliding the links on each other to arrange the line compactly.

It will be seen that the clothes-line is eX- ceedingly'simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that it will enable clothes and other fabrics to be readily applied to it and quickly removed from it. Also it will be clear that the weight of the line and the Weight of the clothes will operate to hold the angularly-disposed clamping portions of the links firmly in engagement with the clothes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. A clothes-line composed of separate links having overlapped portions forming a clamp, each link having its ends slidable freely on the other link to arrange the line compactly, substantially as described.

2. A clothes-line provided with links having overlapped portions provided with eyes, the latter slidably receiving the links and permitting the same to move on each other to form clothes-receiving openings, substantially as described.

3. A clothes-line provided with separate links having overlapped angularly-disposed portions connected and forming a clothes-engaging clamp, each link having its ends slidable freely on the other link for arranging the line compactly, substantially as described.

4:. A clothes-line comprising links having angularly-bent overlapped end portions provided with eyes and slidably connected, said links being adapted to move on each other to form clothes-receiving openings, and capable of clamping clothes between them, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' SOLON ARTHER OWENS. Witnesses:

TILDEN CHILDs,

W. R. BOYD, Jr. 

